早些年,加州大学圣地亚哥分校的医学院以及弗吉尼亚州圣迭戈医疗系统的科学家们完成的一项小型临床试验证实:重症心衰患者或是II型糖尿病患者在接受富含表儿茶素的可可为期3个月治疗后,体内线粒体结构得到了改善。
表儿茶素
近来,他们开展的一项大型安慰剂临床对照试验,发现心衰患者或糖尿病患者在使用表儿茶素后,运动能力得到提高。相关研究论文发表在Clinical and Translational Science杂志上。
线粒体是一种存在于大多数细胞中的由两层膜包被的细胞器,直径在0.5到10微米左右。线粒体是细胞内氧化磷酸化和合成三磷酸腺苷(ATP)的主要场所,为细胞的活动提供了能量,所以有“细胞动力工厂”之称。除了为细胞供能外,线粒体还参与诸如细胞分化、细胞信息传递和细胞凋亡等过程,并拥有调控细胞生长和细胞周期的能力。心衰患者或糖尿病患者体内线粒体功能出现异常,II型糖尿病以及心衰患者心脏和骨骼肌会受到双重损害。研究者募集了5名骨骼肌中线粒体受损伤较严重的患者参与了研究。
在实验开始前,研究人员对每个人都进行了骨骼肌活检。实验过程中受试者每天主要通过食用黑巧克力棒或是类似饮料来摄取100mg左右的表儿茶素,实验周期共3个月。3个月后,研究人员再次进行活检后发现参试者体内线粒体容量以及线粒体棘都出现了改变。
加州大学圣地亚哥分校的医学院心脏病部的Francisco J. Villarreal博士说:实验开始阶段,参与人员线粒体棘受到严重损伤,并且数量也比正常人少。但3个月的治疗后,线粒体棘数量恢复到正常水平,并且参与线粒体形成的一些分子蛋白也增加了。研究人员表示:表儿茶素或许能恢复心肌和骨骼肌的线粒体功能,改善重症心衰患者和II型糖尿病患者的疾病状况。(生物谷Bioon.com)
doi:10.1111/j.1752-8062.2011.00357.x
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Alterations in Skeletal Muscle Indicators of Mitochondrial Structure and Biogenesis in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Failure: Effects of Epicatechin Rich Cocoa
Pam R. Taub M.D.1,2,Israel Ramirez-Sanchez Ph.D.1,3,Theodore P. Ciaraldi Ph.D.1,2,Guy Perkins Ph.D.1,Anne N. Murphy Ph.D.1,Robert Naviaux M.D., Ph.D.1,Michael Hogan Ph.D.1,Alan S. Maisel M.D.1,2,Robert R. Henry M.D.1,2,Guillermo Ceballos M.D., Ph.D.3,Francisco Villarreal M.D., Ph.D.1,*
(-)-Epicatechin (Epi), a flavanol in cacao stimulates mitochondrial volume and cristae density and protein markers of skeletal muscle (SkM) mitochondrial biogenesis in mice. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and heart failure (HF) are diseases associated with defects in SkM mitochondrial structure/function. A study was implemented to assess perturbations and to determine the effects of Epi-rich cocoa in SkM mitochondrial structure and mediators of biogenesis. Five patients with DM2 and stage II/III HF consumed dark chocolate and a beverage containing approximately 100 mg of Epi per day for 3 months. We assessed changes in protein and/or activity levels of oxidative phosphorylation proteins, porin, mitofilin, nNOS, nitric oxide, cGMP, SIRT1, PGC1α, Tfam, and mitochondria volume and cristae abundance by electron microscopy from SkM. Apparent major losses in normal mitochondria structure were observed before treatment. Epi-rich cocoa increased protein and/or activity of mediators of biogenesis and cristae abundance while not changing mitochondrial volume density. Epi-rich cocoa treatment improves SkM mitochondrial structure and in an orchestrated manner, increases molecular markers of mitochondrial biogenesis resulting in enhanced cristae density. Future controlled studies are warranted using Epi-rich cocoa (or pure Epi) to translate improved mitochondrial structure into enhanced cardiac and/or SkM muscle function.